Australian snowboarding superstar Scotty James is ready to pull out all stops as he bids to finally add Olympic gold to an already-remarkable list of career feats.
The 31-year-old, already regarded as one of the greatest snowboarders of all-time, won his fifth consecutive X Games title last month — and eighth overall — and is a four-time world champion.
But he has one mountain still left to climb having taken bronze at Pyeongchang 2018 and silver in Beijing four years ago.
James is the hat favourite for the final but he’s suffered an early setback after falling to land the final trick in his first run:
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James, competing at his fifth Winter Olympics, is hot favourite to go one better at the Milan-Cortina Games.
But the depth and quality of the field for Saturday morning’s (AEDT) final — also featuring countryman Valentino Guseli — means James knows he’ll need to produce his absolute best.
“I think the top six, anyone can win and I don’t think that’s been the case before,” James said.
“Usually it’s one or two people who kind of had a chance to win, so I think this time around it’s going to be an amazing battle and a good showing for halfpipe riding in the men and that’s why you’ve got to bring your best on Friday and I look forward to being part of it.”
James topped Thursday’s (AEDT) halfpipe qualifiers, scoring a whopping 94.00 points in his first run at Livigno Snow Park to seize control of the competition.
The Aussie executed a switch backside double cork 1440 Japan – with four full rotations – as part of a five-trick routine. He couldn’t improve on his second run, which he abandoned run after a fumble, but still finished 2.75 points clear of his nearest competitor.
A clutch of four Japanese athletes were also among the 12 qualifiers for Friday’s final under the lights in the Italian Alps, including reigning Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano.
Hirano, who last month suffered a nasty crash at a World Cup event in Laax, Switzerland, which resulted in multiple fractures, scored 85.50 on his second run, qualifying in seventh position.
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka (91.25) also progressed along with teenage compatriot Ryusei Yamada and Ruka Hirano, with the better of two runs counting.
Guseli, who qualified sixth with 86.75, said it was going to take something truly special to stop James, who made his Olympic debut as a 15-year-old at the 2010 Vancouver Games in an event won by US halfpipe great Shaun White.
“It could be anyone’s day but Scotty’s got some stuff that’s pretty insane and pretty hard to beat,” Guseli said.
“ … I think he’s going to be cooking up stuff that no one’s seen before. But it won’t be new for him, it’s just that no one’s seen it.”
James is looking to win Australia’s second gold in Milan-Cortina after Cooper Woods’ remarkable boilover victory in the men’s moguls final.
Sunday’s final begins at 5.30an AEDT.